Machine for making wire rope



June 5, 1934. A. J. MORGAN MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE ROPE Filed May 4, 1932 .3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTO R N EYB June 5, 1934. A 1 MORGAN 1,961,379

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE ROPE Filed May 4, 1932 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W @y H INVENTOR N, a 7% fm BY dif TTORNEYS June 5, 1934. A. J. MORGAN 1,961,379

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE ROPE Filed May 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Patented June 5, 1934 Y p i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE ROPE Archibald J. Morgan, Trenton, N. J., assignor to John A. Roeblings Sons Company, Trenton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 4, 1932, Serial No. 609,080 9 Claims. (Cl. 117-20) This invention relates to machines for mak- With'a horizontal machine of a well kknown type, ing wire rope or wire strand of that class in generally, as shown, for instance, in patents to which a number Lof wire strands or wires are Hallidie No. 369,055, Sisum No. 592,453 and Lar- Wound helically, usuallyon a metal or hemp core, muth No. 1,073,052, and is thus illustrated. It

and relates especially to that part of the mechawill be understood, however, that the invention 60 nism in which the strands or wires are laid up iS applicable also to other types of machines, for helically on `the core and the rope or rope strand instance, the common vertical planetary type of e1osed-, machine and machines of that type in which the The general object of the invention is to `pro- Wires are laid up Ahelically by the rotationof the 11)' Vide .such a mechanism which shall `be readily rope closing devices andrope instead ofyby the 65 and suiiiciently adjustable to accurately deterrotation of a frame or flyer. carrying the wire mine and Vary Ythe form of the helices laid up supply spools. l K on the core, and so as 4to produce either right Referring to the drawings, the horizontal frame orleftr lay rope, to be capable of use with larger or flyer is shown as of common form, consisting 15 or -smaller .rope cores and producing different of the disks 10 running'on rollers 11 rand con- 7o sizes of rope, and to` lay up the helices on the nected by horizontal bars 12. Within this iiyer core more or less tightly, as desired. are mounted the .frames 13 carrying the wire A further object of the invention is to provide spools` 14, these frames 13 being pivoted axially a.` simple and `eflicient mechanism for making of themachine and either free to swing trans- 20 dead-lay wire rope or strand, that is, rope or versely to the flyer and weighted for reverse 75 strand `preformed in permanent helices so as to movement as the iiyer rotates or positively driven lie without twisting or uncoiling at the end, and reversely to the flyer with` the same result, both to provide for such adjustment ofthe mechanism constructions being common in this type of maas to secure the` exact form of permanent helices chine, this reverse rotation being about one rotay desired, tionto each revolution of the `ilyer and acting to so For a full understanding `of the invention, aV prevent'or regulate the torsion on the individual detailed description of a construction embodying Wires, as usual in such machines. The flyer is all the features of the same in apreferred form, shown as-driven from `the shaft 15, which drives as applied Itoone type of wire rope machine, will the draw-oli rolls 16 through a train of spur `Vr`30 now be given in connection with the accompanygears `17, and drives the flyer through a reversible 85 ingdrawings forming apart of this specification, bevel geartrain 18, shaft 19, extending through and vthe `features forming'the invention then be the length of ythe machine and gears 20 acting specifically pointed out in the claims. through Vthe usual change gearing'in gearbox 21. In the drawings, which ShOW the invention ap- From the flyer head, the wires as laid up are .35 plied vto a wire rope'machine 0f a 00111111011 hOIishown as passed through the usual squeezer 22 90 zontal type: forming the closingdie to the draw-off mecha-- .Fgule 1 and 1a ShOW the m3011111@ 1111113- nism after being laid `up on the core, a being grammatl elevalOIl the core, b the Wires vfroznthe wire supply spools Fgllre iS plan View 0f the kCmW-OT.DQI'OII and c the completed rope. Y The machine isfsh'own o iof `the machine, 011 ely larger SC2/1 than F'lglll'ek l; as producing a rope X made of six wires b with 95 Figure 3 is an enlarged viewof the adjustable core a, but it will be understood that `this is only head, partly in longitudinal-section and partly in for illustration and that the invention is apelevation; l Y p plicable in connection with the production of .Figures 4 and 5 are cross sections on the lines rope of any number of wires. The machine as 4 and 5 ci Figure 3, on an enlarged scale; and thus vfar described is the same as a common type 100V v` Figure 6 is a detail of one of the roller mountof horizontal machine and may be of any other Vings and adjustments looking to the left in Figcommon or suitable construction.

ure-3. A l t Referring `now to the constructionv illustrated In the following `,description land claims, the for the embodiment of the present invention, the

,150 wordwire will be used as including both wire flyer Vhead vfrom whichthe wires b pass to the 105 and wire strandsand theword .rope las includclosing `point carries xed thereto, as by bolts 23, ngboth ropeY formed of strands and strands a cylindrical block 24 having screw thread 1 on formedvvof wires,A the invention being equallyapits outer side and having a central passage formed plicable to both. with inner screw `thread 2 through which passes The invention has been made in connection a sleeve 25 threaded for adjustment in threadZ, 110

and through which the core a passes, this sleeve being locked in adjusted position by lock nut 3 on the screw threaded end of the sleeve 25 and set screw 4 in block 24.

The sleeve 25 carries at its outer'end a disk 26 adjustable axially of the machine with sleeve 25. On the reduced outer end of the block 24 is mounted a sleeve 27 adjustable in the block axially of the machine by screw threads 5 and locked in adjusted position by lock nut 6, and upon this adjustable sleeve 27 are mounted for swinging adjustment transversely to the sleeve individual roll carriers 28, in which levers 29 are pivotally mounted to swing radially of the machine and at the outer ends carry the wire guides in the form of sheaves or rolls 30, over which the wires b pass to the closing point.

The radial position of the levers 29 and rolls 30 is adjusted by the disk 26 on the sleeve 25 against which disk the inner sides` of the levers 29 bear and the levers thus adjusted radially in accordance with the position of disk 26 are locked in position by adjustable clamping ring 31, screw threaded on thread 1 of block 24 and bearing on the upper inclined sides of the levers 29, the clamping ring 31 being locked in adjusted position by lock nut 7. The rolls 30, as shown in Figure 4, and their levers 29 are not mounted exactly radially of the machine, but are olf-center so as to direct the wires properly at the side of the core a for closing.

The roll carriers 28 and the sleeve 27 are formed with coacting convex and concave surfaces 8, so that the roll carriers 28, levers 29 androlls 30 may be adjusted to vary ,theV angle and position of the rolls relatively to the machine axis and the roll carriers 28 are locked in adjusted position by set screws 9 passing through the undercut walls on sleeve 27 at the'front end of the roll carriers 28.

It will be seen that by adjusting the roll carrying levers 29 radially by disk 26 and clamp 31 the rolls may be adjusted and rigidly held in adjusted position radially'of the machine, this adjustment also moving the rolls somewhat axially of the machine, so that the distance from the rolls 30 to the closing point and the angle at which the wires pass from the rolls to the closing point are varied, and the helices thus varied accordingly. The adjustment of the roll carriers 28 and levers 29 by the convex and concave surfaces 8 varies the position and angle of the rolls 30 and the lead of the wires relatively to the core, so that the angle of the lay of the wires on the core may be varied, and, with the proper adjustments, the machine maybe used in making rope of either right or left lay and with either a tight or a loose wrap of the wires on the core and with cores of different sizes. The adjustment of sleeve 27 axially of the machine secures the accurate axial positioning of the parts in their desired adjusted position, so as to assure the exact laying up of the wires into helices having the desired characteristics according to the angular, radial and axial adjustment of the rolls 30.

The invention is applicable generally in rope making machines, whether the wires are to be formed into permanent helices to produce dead lay rope, or to be laid up without the'formation of such permanent helices, but the Vinvention is especially intended for use in machines forernaking dead lay rope, and of especial value in such machines. As shown in the drawings, rthe `angle of the wires b, in passing over the rolls 30 to the closing point and the position of the rolls 30 relatively to the squeezer 22 are such as to form permanent helices and dead lay rope, and the adjustments illustrated and above described enn able the permanent helices to be accurately formed with the desired characteristics. The permanent helices may be formed to the exact form that they have in the finished rope or may be formed of somewhat smaller diameter so as to hug the core, or of larger diameter so as to provide a loose or elastic wrapping on the core. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form or arrangement of the adjusting mechanism shown, but that modifications may be made therein while retaining the invention deiined by the claims.

WhatI claim is:

1. In amachine for making wire rope, the combination with means for laying up the wires helically on a core, of guides over which the wires pass directly to the closing point and means for adjusting said guides radially and axially to vary the angle and length of the path of the wires from the guides to the closing point and angularly to vary the path of the wires transversely of the core from the vguides tothe closing point.` v

2. In a machine for making wire rope, the

combination with means for laying up the wiresv helically on a core, of guides over which the Wires pass directly to the closing point, and means'for adjusting said guides radially and axially to'vary the angle and length of the path of the wiresfrom the guidesr to the 'closing point and Yangularly to vary the path of the wires transversely of the core `*from the guides to the closing point,

said angularadjustment being suicient to provide for the production of either right or left lay products.

3. In a machine for making dead lay wire rope, the combination with the flyer yand rope closing devices, of Vguides over which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said guides being arranged to bend the wires over they guides inward toward the machine axis at such an angle as to coact with the rope closing devices to' form permanent helicesin the wires, and means for adjusting said guides radially and axially to vary the angle and length o the path of the wires from the guides'to the closing point and angularly to vary the path of the wires transversely of thecore from the guides to the closing point.

4.y In a'maohine for making dead lay wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices,of 'guides over which the'wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said guides being arrangedto bend the wires overthe guides inward toward the machine axis at such van. angle as to coact with the rope closing devices tov form permanent helices in the wires, and means for adjusting said guides radially and vaxially to Lvary the angle and length of the path ofthe wiresfromy the guides to theclosing point and` angularly 4to vary the path ofthe wires transversely of the corefrom theguides to the closing DO ints`," said angular adjustment being sufficient to provid'eifor theproduction of either right or left lay products.

5.A The combination with a wire supply and rope closing die, of means for producing relativerotation between the wire supply and closing 'd ieto lay the wires up helically, guides'3`0 over which said wires pass to the closing die, levers 29 pivoted to swing radiallyV` for adjustment of ltheradial angle at Awhich the wires pass to the closing' die and carrying the guides, and means for holdingy said levers in adjusted position. 7 V 5 i- 6. The combination with a wire supply and rope closing devices, of means for producing relative rotation between the wire supply and closing devices to lay the wires up helically, guides 30 over which the wires pass to the closing point, levers 29 pivoted to swing radially for adjustment and carrying the guides, said levers being pivoted on carriers 28 mounted to swing transversely tothe wires for angular adjustment of the levers and means for holding said levers and carriers in adjusted position.

7. The combination with a wire supply and rope closing devices, of means for producing relative rotation between the wire supply and closing devices to lay the wires up helically, guides 30 over which the wires pass to the closing point, levers 29 pivoted to swing radially for adjustment and carrying the guides, said levers being pivoted on carriers 28 seated on sleeve 27 by curved surfaces 8 to rock transversely to the wires for angular adjustment of the levers, and means for holding said levers and carriers in adjusted position.

8. The combination with a wire supply and rope closing devices, of means for producing relative rotation between the wire supply and closing devices to lay the wires up helically, guides 30 over which the wires pass to the closing point, levers 29 pivoted to swing radially for adjustment and carrying the guides, said levers being pivoted on carriers 28 seated on axially adjustable sleeve 27 by curved surfaces 8 to rock transversely to the wires for angular adjustment of the levers, and means for holding said levers and carriers in adjusted position.

9. The combination with a wire supply and rope closing devices, of means for producing relative rotation between the wire supply and closing devices to lay the wires up helically, guides 30 over which the wires pass to the closing point, levers 29 pivoted to swing radially for adjustment and carrying the guides, axially adjustable disk 26 inside the levers and axially adjustable clamp 31 outside the levers, and means for locking the disk and clamp in adjusted position.

ARCHIBALD J. MORGAN. 

